Project to study turning waste into feed, fertilizer

Australia’s Minister of Agriculture Barnaby Joyce has announced a prospective project that would create new sources of fertilizers and feed by using algae, bacteria and chemotrophs to recapture nutrients from waste products.
The project sets out to achieve the development of safe animal feed and high-nitrogen and -phosphorus fertilizer for agricultural use. This is a concept and approach that is completely new to agriculture. Alternative soil improvers including composts, teas and pellets generated from low-cost cleaner composting technologies will also be investigated.
“Livestock produce large volumes of underutilized waste which contain significant amounts of macronutrients but these are typically in a diluted form and nutritionally unbalanced for agricultural crops, as well as being hard to transport off farm,” Australian Pork Limited General Manager Research & Innovation Program Darryl D’Souza said.
The “Waste to Revenue: novel fertilizers and feed project” will develop new technologies to recapture the nutrients in waste, evaluate nutritive, agronomic and economic benefits of the new products, and investigate potential barriers to adoption in order to generate the most benefit for producers and end users.
“Generating these new products will improve the sustainability, productivity and profitability of primary industries through the generation of new revenue streams and reduced input costs. The production of digestible feed will supplement existing feeds while fertilizers will improve crop productivity, carbon availability and soil resilience to erosion, frost, drought and heat stress,” D’Souza said.
This research will be carried out collaboratively by the University of Queensland and University of Western Australia and is supported by a range of Rural Research and Development Corporations that produce and utilize waste products; Australian Pork Limited, Dairy Australia, Sugar Research Australia Limited, Meat and Livestock Australia and Rural Industries Development Corporation (Meat Chickens).

Canada backs study on Manitoba soybean crush facility

A new feasibility study funded by the Canada and Manitoba governments and industry partners found the province has the right mix of production and market demand to support a soybean crushing facility, Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced.
The study determined a crushing facility would be economically viable, based on the growth of the province’s soybean acreage and the demand for soybean meal in the western Canadian livestock industry. There are no large-scale soybean crushing facilities in western Canada.
A soybean crushing plant would bring many benefits for agriculture, according to the study, including:


• An expanded local market for soybean growers
• The ability to avoid rail transportation needed to export commodities like soybeans
• A new, local protein feed source for livestock farmers
• Overall economic benefits, estimated at $190 million per year, based on facility construction and job creation
Manitoba produces 18 percent of all soybeans grown in the country, more than 1.25 million acres. The study estimates soybean acreage could quadruple in western Canada over the next decade, partially in response to growing global demand for the crop, as well as processed soybean meal and oil. Most soybeans grown in Manitoba are either shipped to the United States or China for processing.
The study did not identify a specific site in Manitoba for the crushing facility and noted the economics of the operation could be further improved by crushing canola as well.
Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers and Soy 20/20 partnered to conduct the study. They will conduct further analysis on the issue to identify stakeholders who may wish to construct this type of facility, possibly with some type of producer involvement. The organization estimates it could be five to seven years before the facility is in place.
This study received $52,500 under the Growing Forward 2 – Growing Actions program. The federal and provincial governments are investing $176 million in Manitoba under Growing Forward 2, a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial policy framework to advance the agriculture industry, helping producers and processors become more innovative and competitive in world markets.

Vietnam ag minister wants speed up feed inspections

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  Vietnam’s minister of agriculture and rural development wants to cut the time and cost of animal feed inspections by half.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Vietnam’s minister of agriculture and rural development wants to cut the time and cost of animal feed inspections by half.
  Storage fees at ports during quarantine are one of the biggest issues facing businesses. Raw materials imported for animal feed production must be quarantined and undergo quality inspection.
  The director general of Aprocimex, an animal feed processing joint stock company, said the high price of raw materials for animal feed are due to the quality inspections and storage fees.
  Plant quarantine procedures and quality inspection can take up to 10 days, said Director General of Quang Minh Corporation Tran Thanh Quang.
  Some in the industry suggested changes in the rules that require that every order be inspected.
  "Why must importers wait for weeks, or spend billions of dong on storage fees, if they haven't made any violations for a long time, like 10 years? " said Pham Van Tiep, director of ABC joint stock company.
  Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat ordered the Animal Husbandry and Plant Protection Departments to hold talks with businesses this month to find ways to minimize the time and monetary costs. He requested the Plant Protection Department to study the frequency of inspections in other countries, especially exporting countries that demand inspections before they provide quality certificates for their product.
  He also requested more resources and equipment to speed up the inspection process.

Cargill facility tops 2.6 million work hours without lost time injury

Cargill’s distribution center in Mount Crawford, VA, ships more than 400 million pounds of turkey and cooked meats annually. The 150-member team that does the work has logged 2.6 million hours without a lost time injury, dating back to April 2008.
The distribution center--part of the Wichita, KS-based Cargill Turkey & Cooked Meats business--ships Cargill’s Honeysuckle White, Shady Brook Farms, Castlewood Reserve and Charter Reserve meat products from the 150,000-square-foot facility. Products move to domestic retailers, food service companies and foreign markets.
“We ship a lot of meat products produced in this region. Those nutrient-rich protein products nourish millions of people,” said Neal Snoddy, distribution center general manager. “We take a great deal of pride in this safety achievement because it is one of our top priorities. People have the right to thrive as part of Cargill, which means returning home injury-free each day.”

US House ag committee introduces bill to repeal COOL

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  Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. that would repeal country of origin labeling laws on meat products.

  From WATTAgNet:
  The U.S. House Agriculture Committee on May 20 approved H.R. 2393, a bill to amend the Agriculture Marketing Act of 1946, by a recorded vote of 38-6. If the bill becomes law, it will repeal country of origin labeling (COOL) requirements for beef pork and chicken, while leaving the requirements for all other covered commodities intact.
  The legislation follows a decision made May 18 by the World Trade Orgainzation (WTO), calling the U.S. COOL rules unfair in the United States’ ongoing COOL dispute with Canada and Mexico.  It was the fourth time that WTO ruled against the U.S. on the matter. Both countries have threatened to retaliate if the COOL laws were not repealed.
  “This bill is a targeted response that will remove uncertainty and restore stability for the United States by bringing us back into compliance,” said House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway. “We must do all we can to avoid retaliation by Canada and Mexico, and this bill accomplishes that through full repeal of labeling requirements for beef, pork, and chicken. I appreciate all the support from my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. We will continue working to get this to the House floor as quickly as possible to ensure our economy and a vast range of U.S. industries and the men and women who work for them do not suffer any economic implications of retaliation.” 
  A number of industry groups, including the National Pork Producers Council and the North American Meat Institute, have encouraged Congress to repeal the COOL laws.

Hormel has record Q2 despite avian influenza woes

While the avian influenza outbreak in the United States posed financial challenges for Hormel Foods in the second quarter of fiscal year 2015, the company still had a record-setting second quarter with net earnings of $180.2 million. Those earnings were a 29 percent improvement over the $140.1 million net earnings Hormel Foods achieved during the same period in fiscal year 2014.
Despite having some of its turkey flocks hit by avian influenza, Hormel Foods subsidiary Jennie-O Turkey Store saw its operating profit rise by 41 percent, its volume rise by 14 percent and its dollar sales rise by 15 percent.
Hormel admitted that avian influenza cases began to impact Jennie-O operations toward the end of the quarter, the segment’s financial success was driven by the continued growth of value-added products and lower fuel and grain costs.
 “Jennie-O Turkey Store entered the quarter with excellent momentum and drove robust sales and earnings gains, but exited the quarter with substantial supply chain challenges brought on by avian influenza,” said Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods.


Outlook for Hormel Foods' second half
Ettinger said that he expects the current avian influenza situation to continue to challenge the company during the remainder of the fiscal year, but adds that companywide the diversified food company should benefit from the strengths of other business segments.
“While we enjoyed an excellent first half, we expect Jennie-O Turkey Store to be significantly challenged going forward due to the impacts of avian influenza on our turkey supply chain,” said Ettinger. “Refrigerated Foods and Grocery Products will continue to benefit from value-added product growth and lower pork input costs. Specialty Foods is positioned to deliver substantial earnings increases in the back half with the CytoSport business.”

Egg industry leaders tour Hy-Line International

Hy-Line International, the world leader in layer poultry genetics, hosted nearly 60 egg industry leaders in April at its research and development campus in Dallas Center, IA. The conference rooms were alive with questions, as participants learned about Hy-Line’s advances in molecular genetics and genetic selection from Hy-Line’s research and development team.
They also saw Hy-Line’s Egg Quality Laboratory in action. “We were honored to host leaders of the egg industry to share and discuss Hy-Line’s innovations in poultry genetics,” said Jonathan Cade, president of Hy-Line International. This tour was offered as part of the Egg Industry Center’s 7th Annual Egg Industry Leadership Forum in Des Moines, IA.

Gen. Colin Powell receives Alltech Medal of Excellance Award

Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed a packed audience Monday at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. Powell spoke at the opening session of the Alltech REBELation, an international conference exploring innovation, inspiration and world-changing ideas.
The conference is in keeping with Alltech’s mission to improve the health and performance of people, animals and plants through natural nutrition and scientific innovation. Nearly 3,000 attendees from 63 countries were in attendance at the annual conference. Alltech president and founder Dr. Pearse Lyons introduced Powell as “America’s favorite rebel. Lyons challenged the crowd to "be a rebel like Gen. Powell. That’s what you’re here for,” He encouraged attendees to “do things differently,” a fundamental to both leadership and innovation.
A four-star general who served four U.S. presidents, Powell shared his insights on leadership. He said, “The best leaders convey purpose to everyone in their organization.” He added that you know you're a good leader “if your troops follow you, even if only out of curiosity.” Powell never once voiced the military cliché: “That’s an order!”
“Make sure you take care of the troops” translates in the business realm, said Powell. “Make sure you are giving your people everything they need to get the job done.”
As Lyons observed, “The number one thing missing from agriculture and business today is leadership. And when I think of leadership, General Powell comes to mind. He is decisive, courageous and a force multiplier of perpetual optimism. For inspirational leadership, we need not look any further than General Powell, and, for this reason, he is the ideal recipient of our 2015 Medal of Excellence.”
The Medal of Excellence is Alltech’s highest distinction, awarded annually to someone of great achievement and character. Previous honorees include agricultural leaders such as Norman Borlaug, the “father of the Green Revolution.”
REBELation’s all-star line-up featured more than 110 speakers including Walter Robb, co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, and John Calipari, University of Kentucky's head basketball coach, who received the Alltech Humanitarian Award.

Hawa Chicken is latest to join Ross 400 Club MEA

Hawa Chicken is the latest poultry firm to achieve entry to the Ross® 400 Club in the Middle East and Africa. The success comes as two of its contracted broiler farms recently reached a European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) of 400 or more with their Ross flocks, scoring 416 and 413 respectively.
The company is the third to have entered the Ross 400 Club since it was established in the Middle East and Africa last year. Hawa Chicken, the largest poultry company in Lebanon, is an integrated company founded in 1957, offering high quality poultry meat exclusively from the Ross breed.
Dr. Ibrahim Ibrahim, Ross International Technical Manager, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the latest members to the Ross 400 Club and it’s great to see it growing in popularity. I am confident that more and more farmers across the MEA region will see the success that’s been achieved so far and become members of the 400 Club themselves in the near future.”
Jalal B. El Hawa, Vice President and GM of Hawa Chickens, said: “The Ross 400 Club is a great initiative and we are thrilled to have two farms achieve the required EPEF score. We aspire to make Hawa Chicken the primary poultry producer in the Middle East and using Ross means our breed is the best it
Bulent Tanyildizi, International Commercial Manager, Middle East & Africa, presented the award to Hawa Chicken and commented on their success: “I am delighted for the Middle East that yet another company is demonstrating just what is possible with the Ross bird. It is perfectly suited to the area and I would like to congratulate everyone at Hawa Chicken, a company with a long and proud history, on this latest achievement.”

Avian flu confirmed in Iowa turkeys, Nebraska layers

The presence of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza has been confirmed in an Iowa turkey farm and a Nebraska layer farm, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced on May 27.
Affected were a flock of 20,700 turkeys in Pocahontas County, Iowa, and a flock of 293,200 chickens in Dixon County, Nebraska. According to APHIS, this is the fourth avian influenza detection in Pocahontas County, and the third confirmed case of avian influenza in Dixon County. To date, all of Nebraska’s avian influenza cases have been in Dixon County.
“These farms are in close proximity to each other so this finding, while unfortunate, is not unexpected,” said Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach.
The latest avian influenza detections follow several days of no newly reported cases. Prior to these two discoveries, APHIS’ last announcement of new avian influenza cases occurred on May 22 with the discovery of avian influenza in two commercial turkey farms in Iowa.
Avian influenza has now affected more than 41 million birds in 181 cases, according to APHIS.
To track confirmed cases of the North American avian influenza outbreak, see WATTAgNet's avian influenza tracker map and bookmark the avian influenza update page for news about and analysis of avian influenza.

Wisconsin releases avian influenza quarantine zone

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP), after extensive surveillance and testing for avian influenza, has released the quarantine zone within 6.2 miles of a farm in Chippewa County. There have been no new detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the county since the original incident in April that affected a flock of commercial turkeys.
WDATCP confirmed on April 22 that a commercial flock of 87,000 turkeys in Chippewa County had been infected with H5N2 avian influenza. Since that time, WDATCP successfully implemented a coordinated response with the property owners, the USDA, and other state agencies to contain and eliminate the disease. The affected farm was immediately quarantined and the remaining birds in the flock were depopulated. That farm itself remains quarantined until further notice.
“Even though we are starting to release quarantines, it’s not time to let down our guard quite yet,” said  Dr. Paul McGraw, Wisconsin state veterinarian. “As long as this virus might still be in the environment, we need to be closely watching birds for signs of illness.”
Positive flocks are still being reported in states west of Wisconsin, McGraw added.
The last confirmed cases of avian influenza in Wisconsin were reported by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on May 5. On that day, two cases of H5N2 avian influenza were reported in commercial turkey flocks in Barron County, affecting a total of 239,600 birds.
To track confirmed cases of the North American avian influenza outbreak, see WATTAgNet's avian influenza 

Cobb holds first poultry forum for west Balkan countries

At a forum organized by Cobb Germany and its local partner Iradia, Graf von Drechsel expressed belief in the future of the poultry industry in the west Balkan countries and increasing cooperation with the rest of Europe. Drechsel is head of Wimex, the largest European hatching egg producer, and president of the German Poultry Union. He was speaking at the event held in Belgrade about the current position of the poultry industry in these countries, a region where he has worked for almost 30 years.
It was the first such Cobb poultry business forum there, providing customers with technical information and business and management opportunities. Fifty influential business people, owners and general managers of all the major poultry companies from the entire region were in attendance.
Opening speakers at the event were James Truscott, director of Cobb Germany, and Jasmina Atlic, owner of Iradia. Dejan Bugarski, head of the Serbian veterinary service, spoke about the possibility of Serbian producers working with other countries and one day with EU. He explained what Serbia had already done, and what remains to be done to stimulate further growth of its industry.
The following day, approximatly 120 delegates from all the former Yugoslav countries and also Albania, attended a Cobb technical seminar at the hotel. The Cobb technical team addressed a number of topics with Dr. Matthias Todte updating knowledge on Enterococcus, and Dr. Ron Meijerhof speaking about the latest developments in the pre- and post-hatch feeding and management of chicks from young breeder flocks. Dr. Ermin Grbic spoke about bodyweight control in breeders and Saeid Najati about on broiler growing essentials. 

China Animal Husbandry Expo draws record attendance

The 13th China Animal Husbandry Expo (CAHE) concluded May 20 in one of China’s most populous cities.  Hosted by the China Animal Agriculture Association, this annual event encompasses all types of animal agriculture production, which is held in a different city each year was hosted in Chongqing at the modern Chongqing International Expo Center. The CAHE is China’s largest exhibition for animal husbandry, with attendee numbers exceeding a record number of 150,000. In addition, more than 1,250 exhibitors were present throughout more than eight exhibition halls.
“Starting the week of activities at CAHE with the Global Pig Forum attracting nearly 500 attendees, this annual event for China’s animal production industry is increasingly drawing senior level management from the major poultry and swine producers throughout China,” said Dingding Li of Shanghai LyJa Cultural Media Co. LTD, publishers of Poultry International China and Pig International China magazines. “The increased decision-making level of attendees is a direct result of the continued year-over-year quality improvements from both local and international exhibitors and their significant investment in professional exhibits, high-resolution video and solutions based information.”


Avian influenza in North America top concern of CAHE attendees
While there was much discussion on the floors about the increasing investment and modernization in China’s swine industry as well as the concerns about how the low poultry consumption levels from China’s consumers is challenging producers, the hottest discussion topic throughout the show was avian influenza in North America.  Producers and suppliers alike wanted to know how this could have happened in North America, the place with the best biosecurity in the global poultry industry. They also wondered what its impact will be on the Chinese market.
Several local breeders are forecasting new opportunities ahead to expand their business in China as a result of the ongoing spread of avian influenza in the U.S. and Canada, and especially as the U.S. poultry industry considers vaccination as an option.
The CAHE is hosted in May each year. The 2016 event location will be announced in the coming months.

FAO global poultry forecast: Modest growth in 2015

Growth in global poultry production is forecast to be “limited” this year, reports the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Outlook published this month, with output rising by only 1.4 percent to 111.8 million tones, half the 3 percent trend observed over the last decade.
While falling feed prices have supported growth in many countries, challenges in China continue to weigh on the world total. In China, concerns over avian influenza have caused demand for poultry to stall, and overall production this year is forecast to be stagnant at 18.5 million metric tons.
Excluding China, the tendency in all other largest producing countries is expected to be positive. The report, written before the full the extent of the U.S. avian influenza outbreak had become apparent, forecast that the U.S. poultry industry could grow by 0.8 percent this year to 20.7 million metric tons. Gains were also forecast for the EU, Brazil, the Russian Federation, Mexico, India, Iran and Turkey.
Slow growth in poultry meat trade
Although the volume of trade in poultry has increased by 55 percent over the past decade, growth has slowed since 2013, and this trend is expected to continue this year. The FAO believes that the global trade in poultry meat will rise by only 2.6 percent this year to 13.1 million metric tons.
This is due, in part, higher production in importing countries, reducing their need to import. Additionally, outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in some areas of the U.S. from January onward has caused numerous countries to suspend imports from this country, pending its containment and eradication.
The two major poultry meat importers, China and Japan, are projected to maintain their purchases at similar levels to last year. Stable to positive growth in imports by other major markets including Mexico, Saudi Arabia, the EU and Vietnam is expected to contrast with a second year of falling purchases by the Russian Federation. In the latter, imports are provisionally estimated to decline by 12 percent, stemming from abundant domestic production and the August 2014 trade ban on imports from specific countries.
In Africa, imports as a whole are forecast to rise by 6.7 percent. Among the main importing countries Angola and Benin are anticipated to purchase more as income growth strengthens demand, while imports by South Africa are forecast to rise by 1 percent.
New export opportunities
The three leading exporters, Brazil, the U.S. and the EU, which together account for almost three quarters of global poultry exports, have seen little expansion in sales in recent years. This situation may change in 2015, when Brazilian sales may receive a boost from the US HPAI  outbreaks and related export restriction and from the opening up of opportunities in Russia.
Brazil, along with second tier exporters such as Thailand and Turkey, are projected to drive expansion of world poultry exports in 2015. Argentina, however, which has also seen substantial growth in recent years, suffered a decline in its principal market Venezuela in 2014, and a further overall decline in sales is anticipated this year. 

Antibiotic-free broiler production is sustainable

Dr. David Wicker, live operations vp, Fieldale Farms challenged broiler company managers to change their way of thinking and develop a can do attitude regarding antibiotic-free production. 
Dr. David Wicker, live operations vice president, Fieldale Farms, said, “I hear a lot that the growers are the major problem with ABF (antibiotic-free) production. No, they are not.”
He told the attendees at a panel discussion on antibiotic-free poultry and livestock production at the Alltech Symposium in Lexington, Kentucky, that the real problem starts with executives and managers at integrated companies who are stubborn and can’t see another way to do things.
“It starts out here right in this room. We have to change a lot of thinking and develop a can-do attitude,” he said.
Fieldale started antibiotic-free broiler production in the 1996-97 timeframe, according to Wicker. He said Fieldale now raises all of its broilers in the antibiotic-free program.
“It is best to start at a small level, because the first three years there is a steep learning curve,” Wicker said. “You can easily lose five to 10 points of feed conversion and most companies will have trouble maintaining flock mortality rates at 10 percent or less.”


Antibiotic-free production is humane, efficient and sustainable
“Is antibiotic-free production doable? The answer is yes, we have been doing it for 18 years,” he said. “We have very few treated flocks, and we are American Humane Association approved. For your first few years, you will have to treat lots of flocks. Later on, you will treat fewer of them.”
Wicker said McDonald’s announcement of the company’s intention to only purchase chicken that has not been treated with antibiotics used in human medicine has really changed the landscape for broiler production in the U.S. He said that if a company wants to get into antibiotic-free production then it better have “extremely good feed quality and consistency.”
“Are we sustainable? The answer is yes,” Wicker said. “We recently moved to Category A in the Global Reporting Initiative.” The Global Reporting Initiative is an internationally recognized sustainability initiative.
“Can antibiotic-free production be done efficiently, can it be done humanely? The answer to both is yes. I will remind everyone that all animals were raised antibiotic-free prior to the 1950s, because they were not around,” he said.


Pork producer addressing customer requests
Commenting on antibiotic-free and other specialty pork production alternatives, Doug Clemens, CEO, Clemens Family Corporation, said, “The requests keep coming in from our customer group every day. We take the approach of learning, testing and verifying.” Clemens Family Corporation owns Hatfield Quality Meats, a pork processor, and Country View Family Farms, a swine production company.
Clemens was asked by a member of the audience what would happen to producers if they “caved in” to every consumer/customer request? Clemens replied, “We aren’t caving in to what the consumer/customer says they want. We start out by asking, 'Can we do it in a way that is different from the way we have done it in the past, while keeping animal welfare at the top of the pyramid?' If we don’t think we can do something, we have to ask why.”
“We have been asked to do a lot of things by customers that we haven’t done,” Clemens said. “We will not do it until we can prove that it is sustainable.”
Hatfield processes 5,000 head of swine per week in the Never Ever 3 program. Never Ever 3 is a marketing claim for livestock and meat products that is part of USDA’s Process Verified program. For meat to be sold with Never Ever 3 on the product label it has to come from animals that have never received antibiotics, growth promoters or animal byproducts. 

Google invests in computerized farming network

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  Google is investing in a computerized farming network that uses data to help farmers increase their productivity and save money.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Google is investing in a computerized farming network that uses data to help farmers increase their productivity and save money.
  The network is called Farmers Business Network Inc., and it recently closed a $15 million investing round led by Google’s venture capital division. The company intends to spend the money to expand its field analysis service to collect data on seeds and soil in more states and crops.
  Currently, the network covers 7 million acres of cropland in 17 states, mostly in the Midwest. It analyzes 16 crops including corn, soybeans and wheat.
  The company uses computer systems to evaluate public and private data on crop yields, weather patterns and planting practices and then sells advice to farmers on how to increase their yields and cut wasteful spending.
  Farmers can join Farmers Business Network for $500 per year. They then can submit their farms’ data on past crop yields, which seeds were planted, fertilizer use and other information. The company standardizes its data and analyzes it based on data from other farmers and the company’s own database. The farmer then receives an analysis that shows how that farm’s crops performed compared with other farms working with similar soils and seeds, along with suggestions on changes to planting and crop rotation.
  The company also is developing tools to evaluate pesticide and fertilizer use.

Latest crop progress report by the numbers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released its latest Crop Progress report.


Planting, emergence


• Eighty-five percent of the nation’s corn crop is planted and 56 percent of it has emerged. On average at this time, 75 percent of the corn crop is planted and 40 percent emerged.
• Soybean planting is at 45 percent compared with the 36 percent average. Soybean emergence is 13 percent compared with a 12 percent average.
• Forty-five percent of the winter wheat crop was rated good or excellent, which was up 1 percent from the previous week.


State by state


• In Iowa, corn planting was 92 percent compared with the 84 percent average. Emergence was 63 percent compared with the 44 percent average. Soybean planting was at 51 percent compared with a 45 percent average.
• In Illinois, corn planting was 94 percent, compared with the 82 percent average. Soybean planting was 47 percent compared with a 36 percent average.
• In Indiana, corn planting was 74 percent, compared with the 68 percent average. Soybean planting was 36 percent compared with a 38 percent average.

AFIA designs broadened biosecurity document

In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the government asked animal agriculture industries to release guidelines to its manufacturing facilities regarding the protection of the nation's agriculture assets. The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) developed the 2012 Bioterrorism Awareness Guidelines, which it recently redesigned as a broadened biosecurity document for the feed and ingredient manufacturing industries.
"During the last two years, AFIA discussed the development of a foreign animal disease risk model with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, formed a working group and reevaluated our 2012 bioterrorism guide," said AFIA President and CEO Joel G. Newman.
"This is a tremendous resource for our members, and I greatly appreciate the leadership of this task force for developing a high-quality guidance document that will assist our members and the industry in the control of biological hazards. I especially appreciate the assistance of the associations that participated to provide insight and recommendations," Newman added.
The working group -- including scientists from the feed industry and representatives from the National Grain and Feed Association, National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council and National Renderers Association -- rewrote the guide with a focus on protecting the feed industry's assets and ensuring the latest science was considered in order to protect AFIA's customers' premises and animals from the spread of animal disease.
The document's purpose is to provide feed and ingredient manufacturers with recommendations to develop a biosecurity plan to help control the potential spread of animal disease through the manufacturing, transport and use of feed and feed ingredients.
Each facility, location or business should develop a biosecurity plan based on the potential hazards and risks of occurrence within its processes. Procedures should be developed to ensure the plan is implemented and remains effective as situations change. The new guidance document focuses on the development of biosecurity practices for feed and ingredient manufacturers to control biological hazards that may contribute to the spread of animal disease.
"We greatly appreciate the dedication and support of the 14 members and organizations that provided insight and recommendations on updating this document," said Dr. Henry Turlington, AFIA director of quality and manufacturing regulatory affairs. "We are confident the new guidance will help our industry deal with current animal diseases to become better prepared for the next animal health issue."

Sanderson: More knowledge of avian flu vaccines needed

The CEO of Sanderson Farms says he is apprehensive about the potential vaccination of poultry against avian influenza (AI), citing the U.S. government's lack of knowledge about possible vaccines and their effectiveness.
Speaking recently at the Goldman Sachs Global Staples Forum, Joe Sanderson Jr. said much still needs to be learned before the U.S. can implement a vaccination program.
“They do not know much about these vaccines. It has not been tested well,” said Sanderson. “They do not know if a bird that has been vaccinated, when exposed, is going to still get the virus and have a miler case, or if it is going to shed live virus once it’s exposed. I think they need to know the answer to those two questions before they vaccinate a lot of chickens with it, or turkeys.”
Sanderson added that he would be supportive of a plan to test the vaccines on a trial basis “if they did it in one state, and they did a small sample and see what it did.” He said more widespread vaccination without the knowledge of avian influenza vaccines would be a case of “ready, fire, aim.”


Avian influenza vaccination and trade implications
Sanderson also spoke cautiously about avian influenza vaccination and its implications on international trade.
“We are concerned because once they start vaccinating, they are going to be some countries that are going to say AI is endemic to the U.S. as soon as they start vaccinating, because every one of the birds that is vaccinated is going to test positive for AI from now on,’ Sanderson said.

KSU developing vaccines for H5N1, H7N9 avian influenza

A recent study with Kansas State University researchers details vaccine development for two new strains of avian influenza found in other countries that can be transmitted from poultry to humans. Those strains, not found in the U.S., have led to the culling of millions of commercial chickens and turkeys as well as the death of hundreds of people.
The new vaccine development method is expected to help researchers make vaccines for emerging strains of avian influenza more quickly. This could reduce the number and intensity of large-scale outbreaks at poultry farms as well as curb human transmission.
It also may lead to new influenza vaccines for pigs, and novel vaccines for sheep and other livestock, said Jürgen Richt, Regents distinguished professor of veterinary medicine and director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases.
Richt and his colleagues focused on the avian influenza virus subtype H5N1, a new strain most active in Indonesia, Egypt and other Southeast Asian and North African countries. H5N1 also has been documented in wild birds in the U.S., though in fewer numbers.
"H5N1 is a zoonotic pathogen, which means that it is transmitted from chickens to humans," Richt said. "So far it has infected more than 700 people worldwide and has killed about 60 percent of them. Unfortunately, it has a pretty high mortality rate."
Researchers developed a vaccine for H5N1 by combining two viruses. A vaccine strain of the Newcastle disease virus, a virus that naturally affects poultry, was cloned and a small section of the H5N1 virus was transplanted into the Newcastle disease virus vaccine, creating a recombinant virus. Tests showed that the new recombinant virus vaccinated chickens against both Newcastle disease virus and H5N1.
Researchers also looked at the avian flu subtype H7N9, an emerging zoonotic strain that has been circulating in China since 2013. China has reported about 650 cases in humans and Canada has reported two cases in people returning from China. About 230 people have died from H7N9.
"In Southeast Asia there are a lot of markets that sell live birds that people can buy and prepare at home," Richt said. "In contrast to the H5N1 virus that kills the majority of chickens in three to five days, chickens infected with the H7N9 virus do not show clinical signs of sickness. That means you could buy a bird that looks perfectly healthy but could be infected. If an infected bird is prepared for consumption, there is a high chance you could get sick, and about 1 in 3 infected people die.
"We believe this Newcastle disease virus concept works very well for poultry because you kill two birds with one stone, metaphorically speaking," Richt said. "You use only one vector to vaccinate and protect against a selected virus strain of avian influenza."
Researchers found they were able to protect pigs against an H3 influenza strain by using the Newcastle disease virus to develop a recombinant virus vaccine. Wenjun Ma, Kansas State University assistant professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, is building on this finding and using the Newcastle disease virus to make a vaccine for porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, a disease that has killed an estimated 6 million pigs.
Richt conducted the avian influenza study with Ma, Adolfo Garcia-Sastre at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, and several other colleagues. They published their findings in the Journal of Virology study.

Walmart adopts positions on antibiotics, animal welfare

Walmart and Sam's Club announced new positions that seek to end the use of antibiotics for growth promotion purposes and find alternatives to layer cages and gestation crates. 
Walmart and Sam’s Club of the United States have adopted a new position seeking responsible use of antibiotics in farm animals, as well as new standards for animal welfare for the companies that are meat, poultry and egg suppliers for the company. The company released its new positions on May 22, but no timeline on implementing the new positions has yet been given.


Company seeks alternatives to gestation crates, layer cages
The company's new animal welfare standards involve working with its suppliers to “find and implement solutions to address animal welfare concerns” that include animal housing systems. Walmart and Sam's Club specifically mentions finding alternatives to gestation crates for pigs and battery cages for laying hens. The company also has provisions that seek alternatives to veal crates.
The company is also expecting its suppliers to not conduct potentially painful procedures such a pig tail docking and cattle dehorning without using proper pain management practices.


Limiting animal antibiotic use
Walmart stated that the company believes antibiotics should be used responsibly in farm animals. With that in mind, it is asking suppliers to adopt and implement the Judicious Use Principles of Antimicrobial Use from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA),  including accurate record-keeping, veterinary oversight, and limiting antimicrobial treatment to animals that are ill or at risk, effectively eliminating the use of medically important antibiotics for growth promotion purposes.
Additionally, the company wants to promote transparency by having suppliers provide a report on antibiotics management to Walmart and publicly report antibiotic use on an annual basis.

13 lessons in leadership offered at Alltech REBELation

Attendees of the Alltech REBELation, an international conference exploring innovation, inspiration and world-changing ideas, were treated to 13 lessons in leadership. Among the speakers at the conference, being held May 17-20, were Alltech Founder and President Dr. Pearse Lyons, former U.S. Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell, and Jim Stengel, former global marketing officer for Procter & Gamble.
The leaders advised:
1.    Have a vision but at the same time, be demanding. – Lyons
2.    Leaders need to set a purpose. The best leaders convey purpose to everyone in their organization.  – Powell
3.    When people are inspired, they are self-motivated. –  Powell
4.    There needs to be a purpose for inspiration to take hold. Sometimes purpose can be small. – Powell
5.    Put followers in the best possible environment to get the job done. Make sure you take care of the troops. –Powell
6.    You know you are a good leader if your troops follow you, even if only out of curiosity. – Powell
7.    Recognize performance.  – Powell
8.    You have to constantly work on building bonds of trust in your organization. – Powell
9.    Your job is to demonstrate that you have moral and physical courage. Everything you do is selfless not selfish. – Powell
10.  You need to see where the future is. The best leaders are always looking for the opportunities of the future.  –  Powell
11.  Getting people to believe is what leadership is all about. – Powell
12.  In terms of execution of the plan, I require your complete loyalty. We are one team in one fight. –  Powell
13.  The standards we set say everything about us. – Jim Stengel

Aldi sells product falsely labeled halal, apologizes

• 

  Roy Graber

  Aldi has apologized after selling a product containing pork blood and skin that was falsely labeled as halal.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Grocery chain Aldi has apologized and is offering a refund to U.K. customers who purchased a black pudding product labeled as Halal that actually contained pork blood and skins, which is forbidden by the Muslim community.
  According to WATTAgNet’s meat and poultry labeling glossary, products prepared by federally inspected meat packing plants identified with labels bearing references to "halal" or "Zabiah halal" must be handled according to Islamic law and under Islamic authority.
  The product was supplied to the grocery chain by Punjab Pakora, a Scottish company that produces a variety of authentic Indian dishes. The company’s owners said that the misleading labels were used because a manager that was assigned with approving the labels including a U.K. Health Code stamp failed to notice the mistake.
  “We are issuing a notice about the recent discovery of halal being advertised on the black pudding sleeve as being a printing mistake, and have rectified the issue immediately, we sincerely apologize to the public who have been affected by this mistake and would like to thank everyone who brought this error to our attention,” Punjab Pakora stated on its website.
  A spokesman for Aldi said the company regretted the error, which resulted in the outrage of Muslim customers. It welcomed customers who purchased the product to return it to the store where it was purchased for a full refund.

3 reasons Sanderson Farms won’t eliminate antibiotics

Joe Sanderson Jr., CEO of Sanderson Farms, said he does not foresee his company abandoning use of antibiotics in its production of chicken. Sanderson, while speaking recently at the Goldman Sachs Global Staples Forum, offered three reasons why he wants Sanderson Farms to continue to use antibiotics.
1. Animal welfare – Sanderson said he and the company veterinarians have all taken an oath to take care of their chickens. If Sanderson Farms abandons the use of antibiotics, the company is not following that oath, he said.
Sanderson specifically mentioned enteritis, a gut condition in chickens that to date can only be treated through the use of antibiotics. “Nothing [else] can take care of enteritis in the chicken, and nothing is coming in the future. If you don’t [treat the chickens with antibiotics for enteritis], the chicken’s going to die.”
“I cannot imagine having a diagnosis, knowing what’s wrong with them and not taking care of them, any more than I cannot imagine not taking care of a cow or one of my pets,” he said.
2. Sustainability – Eliminating the use of antibiotics is not a good example of sustainable or environmentally responsible agriculture, according to Sanderson.
The poultry company CEO pointed out that raising chickens without the use of antibiotics will require more chicken houses, more electricity, more water and more acres of corn and soybeans. “You’re going to have to grow these chickens longer and use all that to achieve the same market weight,” he said.
Sanderson said it appears not many others in the poultry industry have taken sustainability concerns into account. “If all these people do this, it’s going to take a lot more resources to get these chickens to market,” he said.
3. Food safety – Sanderson said the U.S. poultry industry only needs to look to what has happened in Europe to know that eliminating antibiotics can pose a threat to consumer food safety. With the removal of antibiotics in European poultry came increased microbiology and microorganism loads. “You take antibiotics out, and you’re going to have more Campylobacter, more Salmonella and all that coming into your plant,” Sanderson said.

Foundation laid for Dixie Egg Company's 5th hen house

Dixie Egg Company has laid the foundation of the latest state-of-the-art hen house, HD5. This 235,000-bird enrichable cage system will hold the newest caged equipment made in Italy by Faaco, the world’s largest producer of modern poultry equipment.
HD5 has been designed specifically for egg production with the highest standards of health and hygiene and can be adapted to keep Dixie Egg’s hens comfortable in any type of weather conditions. The advanced houses mean better control of production and quality of eggs, allowing food safety to remain their top priority.
Once HD5 is complete, the eggs will travel into a state-of-the-art Moba Omnia 530PX processing machine. This powerful workhorse, made in Holland, washes, cleans, dries and grades 200,000 eggs an hour. The Moba Omnia will be equipped with egg packing and palletizing robotics. Its advanced grading algorithms will improve grading efficiency and guarantee exact traceability. In addition, the position and characteristics of each individual egg is known throughout the process. Dixie Egg is counting on the Moba to help maintain the highest efficiency, hygiene and food safety.

FAO: Avian influenza puts Nigerian food security at risk

• 

  Andrea Gantz

  An official from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization says avian influenza is putting food security in Nigeria at risk.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Food security in Nigeria will be at risk, a United National Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative said, unless intense surveillance and control measures for avian influenza are implemented.
  The virus that has been plaguing the global poultry industry in 2015 was detected in a backyard flock in January that included broilers, layers and growers, according to a report from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). That was the first confirmed case of avian influenza in Nigeria since 2008. Since that time, OIE has reported 51 more avian influenza outbreaks. In total, 167,064 birds – most of which have been layers -- have been susceptible, with 6,951 birds dying and another 140,839 being destroyed.
  The virus has also spread into Niger, first entering that country near the Nigerian border. It was the first avian influenza case in Niger since 2006.
  While speaking at a two-day training workshop for disease surveillance agents, FAO representative Dr. Louise Setshwaelo said that if the spread of the virus is not stopped in Nigeria, it will become endemic.
  "Then we will have even a bigger problem to deal with. The resurgence of avian influenza in the country has serious implication given the importance of poultry industry to the livelihood and food security as well as health implications,” said Setshwaelo.
  To keep current on the global avian influenza situation, bookmark WATTAgNet’s avian influenza page, which includes news reports and analysis concerning avian influenza.

Former poultry science department head at Auburn passes away

The Alabama poultry industry and the Auburn Department of Poultry Science have lost a true pioneer and visionary. Dr. Bob Brewer, Professor and Department Head Emeritus, passed away last week.
Brewer joined the department in 1969 and served as department head from 1987 until his retirement in 2000. As a researcher, he helped advance the control of parasites in commercial poultry, improved energy management in broiler houses and contributed to the best management practices for modern broiler production. Under his leadership, the department’s student enrollment significantly increased, and many of the students he recruited are now key industry leaders. Brewer was instrumental in establishing new scholarship endowments, which has had a lasting impact.
Today, more than 40 poultry science students are receiving scholarships from these endowments. He also led efforts to significantly improve the department’s facilities, including significant expansion of farm facilities in the late 1980s. Brewer’s crowning achievement was the Poultry Science Building, cutting-edge research, classroom and laboratory facility located on the Auburn campus.
While the Poultry Science Building was dedicated in 2005, the vision for such a facility was cast by Brewer in the early 1990s. He worked tirelessly for over a decade to make the Poultry Science Building a reality. Brewer partnered with Alabama poultry industry leaders, Auburn administrators and government agencies to develop the concept, secure funding and finally construct the Poultry Science Building. It is clearly recognized that Brewer was the driver of this building project, and his motivation was not for himself, but for the poultry industry. Brewer has truly left a strong legacy that will serve to advance Alabama agriculture well into the future. He was a member of the Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame and a member of the Auburn University Agricultural Alumni Association Hall of Honor.
Memorial donations may be made to: Dr. Robert N. Brewer Scholarship Fund, c/o Alabama Poultry Foundation, P.O. Box 240, Montgomery, AL  36101

Tainted feed results in deaths of 47,000 turkeys

• 

  USDA

  Tainted soy oil cost a West Michigan turkey farm more than $1 million when it killed 47,000 turkeys and ruined 500 tons of feed.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Tainted soy oil cost a West Michigan turkey farm more than $1 million when it killed 47,000 turkeys and ruined 500 tons of feed, federal authorities said.
  Shur-Green Farms of Ansonia, Ohio, allegedly continued to sell the tainted product after the turkey deaths. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the company intentionally misrepresented industrial waste tainted by drug residue as recycled restaurant oil.
  FDA said at least two shipments of the waste byproduct, which is intended only for fuel use, was sold in September 2014 as soy oil with the implication that it was fit for use as food.
  The oil was used at Sietsema Farms of Allendale, Michigan, where turkey flocks at five of the farm’s locations died in August 2014 after eating feed that contained the oil. All the birds died before they went to market.
  Sietsema Farms believed the oil it bought was restaurant-grade oil used in the manufacture of pelleted animal feed, and was unaware of the drug content.
  Also as a result of the feed contamination, 35,900 head of swine were held from market for 29 days to assure none of the drug residue would be in the meat when they went to the slaughterhouse.

American Egg Board says pasteurized eggs safe as ever

The United States has the strongest avian influenza (AI) surveillance program in the world. It was established to ensure the continued safety of the food supply. Following the detection of AI in flocks in several states, the USDA avian influenza response plans were activated. As part of the existing plans, Federal and State partners, as well as the egg industry are responding quickly and decisively to these outbreaks. American egg farmers remain vigilant in order to keep their flocks free from disease and to assure the safety of shell eggs and egg products.
The food safety record for egg products remains unbroken at 40 plus years. Since 1970 when Congress passed the Egg Products Inspection Act, all further-processed U.S. egg products distributed for consumption must be pasteurized to eliminate Salmonella. This includes all forms of liquid, frozen and dried ingredients. The institution of mandatory pasteurization has proven very successful, confirmed by the fact there have been no recorded outbreaks of salmonellosis linked to pasteurized egg products since its inception. As a result, food manufacturers and foodservice organizations that use pasteurized egg products can have confidence in their safety.
“The impressive safety record of egg products is due to a very successful collaboration between industry and government,” explains Dr. Patricia Curtis, Auburn University Professor and Director of the National Egg Processing Center. “But it’s an ongoing process that requires repeated quality assurance testing. Heat treatment methods used by egg processors ensure harmful bacteria are destroyed.”
The egg product safety record appears even more remarkable when considered in terms of the 82 billion eggs eaten annually in the U.S., more than 30 percent of which is made up of egg products, liquid, frozen or dried. A Midwestern food processor further substantiates egg product safety commenting, “we use commercial pasteurized processed egg products in our sauces, egg custards and other products. With the intense research and studies conducted by USDA Agriculture Research Service, we’re confident in the safety of pasteurized egg products.”

West Virigina halts live poultry sales to keep AI away

Live poultry sales have been banned in West Virginia as a precaution related to the avian influenza (AI) outbreak that has affected much of the United States, according to
West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Walt Helmick
. The commissioner also said live poultry exhibitions and swap meets have also been banned in the state that so far has had no confirmed cases of avian influenza.
“There has been no sign of AI in this state, but we believe this ban is a necessary precaution to protect our valuable poultry industries,” said Helmick.
West Virginia’s broiler  industry is centered in the Eastern Panhandle, near the Pilgrim’s Pride processing plant in Moorefield. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) tests every commercial flock for avian influenza before they are moved for processing, ensuring that sick birds are not being trucked past other poultry farms in the region.
“We have the staff and equipment to turn samples around within four hours, which is something the industry really appreciates,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Jewell Plumley. Any presumptive positive tests must be confirmed by the USDA, she added.
The WVDA has also worked to identify and educate “backyard” poultry owners about the signs of AI and biosecurity practices to prevent it from entering their flocks. 
Bookmark WATTAgNet's avian influenza update page for the latest news and analysis concerning avian influenza.

OIE leader: AI should be under control in US in 4 months

The avian influenza outbreak that has heavily hit the U.S. poultry industry in 2015 is likely to be under control within four months, said the director general of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to date has reported that more than 40.7 million birds have been affected by avian influenza. However, OIE Director General Bernard Vallat told Reuters that the infection rate is slowing down as the U.S. poultry industry steps up its efforts to contain and control the virus.
"I think it cannot worsen in the United States," Vallat said. "Given the scale of the damage and the pressure on farmers I believe they will quickly protect themselves more efficiently. There are huge economic stakes here."
Other animal health leaders have also predicted a slowdown and possible disappearance of the virus as the warmer weather arrives. During a USDA-hosted media call in April, USDA Chief Veterinary Officer John Clifford and USDA Southeast Poultry Research Director David Swayne said new cases of the virus would disappear because viruses tend to not survive well in warmer weather, and that the wild birds that have carried avian influenza will have returned to the North during their migrations. Both indicated that there is a possibility that the virus won’t return in the fall.
Bookmark WATTAgNet’s avian influenza page for the latest news and analysis concerning avian influenza in the United States and internationally.